Ever club has good and bad buys. Being in premier it's going to be expensive! Also some of the players we have bought are quite young and will have plenty of time to adapt to our game. Another point is competition! Our players have to bust a gut and perform every week or face being replaced.
Just going back to the original question about spending millions on players that don't necessarily get into the side regularly. I think that very few indeed can be considered anything other than money well spent. The core of the squad is still one that competed in League One. Every season, they have learned and improved. Players like Rickie and Jose are doing absolute wonders because they are established mature footballers, who one might think were merely honing their technique, at their age. But they have made huge strides in their performances, and that is down to their attitude and the new competition put in front of them, by better players being transferred into the squad. They have, in effect, become new signings themselves, because if they want to play, they have to improve. The proof is that Rickie is now and England player and there is talk that Jose might be selected at senior level for Portugal. So, I would contest that, Forren aside, it has all been money well spent. And Saints got most of that back anyway.
Its hard to say if they would be in the starting 11 because we do not know what effect they would have on subsequent signings and also those players that have developed since they have been gone. For example would we have bought J Rod if the Ox was still here? I would say probably not. For the sake of it, if they were still here with all current members of the squad then I would see them in the first 11 instead of J Rod and quite possibly Ward-Prowse and Lallana dropping in the No 10 role. Its a really tough call though as both those players have been superb for us this season. Lambert Ox Walcott Lallana
Great post by Lff, one that gets the old grey matter turning? Who among'st us would have thought JWP would get the nod before Gaston or that Fonte would become a regular, so for me it has proved that no matter what your reputation or price tag you have to earn your call-up in this present side. Personally I would always prefer to see an academy player in the team rather than a big time charlie any day.
As would Nicola and Mauricio, and that's long-term where we're getting it so right. Supplemented by effective "money" signings currently.
On the Walcott and Ox question: if we'd kept them we would have made completely different signings. Rodriguez probably wouldn't be here. But yes I'd have to play them both. They'd probably be better for having stayed here too.
I tend to judge a player's worth/value for money only after he has been sold/retired. This gives players a fair crack at settling in, rewards comitment and allows us to see how the team grows with them as a part of things. From our current squad, and especially the signings we have made in recent times, I think they would all make a profit/be seen as good signings. Aside from Mauyka, who we havn't seen enough of, Ramirez is the only one I'm not sure of profit wise, but important to note that it was his signing that really showed that we meant business, boosted the feeling around the club and made me feel like "we are here to stay". If we sold him now we'd probably lose £1-2m on him but I still wouldn't say he has been a bad signing. What's more, we've managed to make these "big" signings whilst continuing to bring players though, play with a togetherness and boos the general standard of the squad. We have not been a selling team for a couple of years now and that has made a real difference. No doubt we will see a further defender or two come in in January/the summer, as well as probably a an attacking wide player - the quality already here will help to attract the right quality of player/person and I'm really excited about what we are building and how we are doing. 2/3 top signings a year and promoting our fantastic youth players looks like a recipie for sucess to me.
Some players improve with competition and may block game time for the more expensive player...Fonte and Yoshida for example. We may still need Yoshida so he is hardly a waste of money. Osvaldo is a good player and will be even better when he settles in. Wanyama has done well for us and again is young enough to learn....don't judge him on a couple of errors...pretty sure other players have made mistakes as well. Don't think Ramirez fits in a Pochettino team and sadly missed a lot of his first season with injury....still contributed though and is saleable. We aren't the only team to buy a player who either isn't as good as you'd hope or is rarely played. I dread to think how much money Man City and Chelsea have apparently wasted.
I rather suspect the same questions are being asked at Tottenham as well, but it's all about new players (and managers) settling in to sides and systems. Look what a huge difference a full pre-season with MP's ideas has done for us.......
Some interesting responses. I still think we could have invested that amount of money b ether but the fact that the incoming players raise the bar for those already here is a good one. Going back to my original quote from Lamballana, what sort of player do you think we should be looking at in January? I don't want to turn this into a 'rumours thread', I just wondered where people thin we need strengthening or added back-up.
Unless we have major injury crisis I don't believe we will be signing anyone. NC has stated before he doesn't like to buy in the January transfer window.
Leaving sentiments aside, Chamberlain, providing he stayed with us, would leave him ahead of Rodriguez and Walcott would be ahead of Lambert.
No way would Walcott be ahead of Lambert! What makes me chuckle is that in this hypothetical situation we have kept Walcott but not Gareth Bale... We sold Walcott first!
The overall "buy 'em young" approach will mean little lost on even big money signings if they move on (I hope). But remember Gaston's signing was worth 15m alone for that Lawenson moment
14 goals and 10 assists in 32 games, whilst being played on the right wing. Lambert's only regained his true form in the last few games, and Walcott would add real pace to our side, as well as us not needing him to make crosses.
Don't know why this thread has turned into as If so and so was still here thread. Going on about Chambo and Walcott yet no Bale? Anyways back to the thread, Mayuka,Forren and Ramirez are the only players that have disappointed me. As for Jan we are looking into bring Banega in and have already had talks.
He won't be going to Southampton..! That should be a tattoo on Lawrenson's forehead. Relive it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19314163 Can I just add that MOTD3 seems to have lost a little sparkle since Colin Murray has left. And I like Mark Chapman as a presenter.
Of the Cortese era I can only think of Forte, Forren & at time of press Mayuka as the big failings. Less we forget the sheer pace with which this club has progressed from league one heavy hitters to premier league top half side. Players like Lambert & Fonte who have managed to keep pace with the progress are the exceptions. Most of the players purchased were decent signings for our place in the football pyramid and squad for that moment.
